Apr 9, 2014

Apr 9, 2014

I am beyond excited & honored to have teamed up with one of my favorite beauty brands, Lipstick Queen! I was lucky enough to receive three of their latest products before they hit the beauty shelves. Oh and it gets better.. In honor of their launch I will be hosting a giveaway! One lucky winner will receive their newest products, Jungle Queen (just launched) & Oxymoron in Open Secret (launching mid-April). Before I get into the product reviews & free goodies, let me give you a little background on the brand.

Lipstick Queen is the innovative lipstick brand founded by the always glamorous, Poppy King. Poppy's idea to create lipstick came 20 years ago when she failed to find her perfect shade. Instead of giving up her endless search, Poppy decided to take matters into her own hands and create her own range of lipsticks. Her first line, Poppy, was carried in Barneys in 1992. While it developed a cult following, it did not reach it's full potential. She then relocated to New York working for Estée Lauder's Prescriptives brand where she quickly realized that the corporate world just wasn't for her. Her new company, Lipstick Queen, was created 5 years ago while writing her book Lessons of a Lipstick Queen. (Which is currently on my "to read" list on Goodreads.) It's about entrepreneurship- recognizing a good idea when you have it and all of the steps you need to take, even if you don't have a business degree, to realize it. Lipstick Queen has quickly become one of my favorite beauty brands after discovering her Hello Sailor lipstick this this past August. You can feel Poppy's passion through the quality of every one of her lipsticks. And what I love most about the brand is that Poppy specifically designs her lipsticks to flatter all complexions.

Product Reviews:

1. Let Them Eat Cake (left swatch, $45): This delicious shade pays homage to Marie Antoinette's lavish taste and her total rejection of the ordinary. The shade is a delicate lilac lipstick with sugary sparkles. It's ordinary lilac tone is countered with rose gold lustre pigments that catch the light and create a magical, soft focus effect for full and voluptuous lips. This lipstick is textured, so it is not as smooth when applying, but once it's on the lips you can feel the moisture. It's packed with high levels of natural waxes and oils such as Vitamin E and Apricot Kernel Oil to maximize comfort. I really love the affect of the shimmer in this color. Throughout the day, as the lipstick fades, you are left with a delicate sprinkle if glitter on your lips. And if you don't feel like reapplying, stick on a clear gloss and let the sparkle of the glitter shine! This limited edition lipstick is exclusive to Barneys New York. You can pre-order it here.

2. Oxymoron in Open Secret(middle swatch, $24): Launching this month, Open Secret is the newest shade to join the Oxymoron collection. In a beautifully bright and romantically rosy hue, Open Secret bestows lips and cheeks with a bloom of fresh, flattering and ultra-wearable peony. This formula is enriched with nourishing Shea Butter, Avocado and Jojoba, leaving your lips feeling silky smooth. I was amazed with how smooth it went on my lips. It goes on as smooth and light as a gloss, but is completely matte! It's not very often that I come across a matte color that feels nice and moisturizing on the lips. With a full face of make up or completely bare, this color will be on my go-to lip color all spring/summer long.

3. Jungle Queen(right swatch, $22): Jungle Queen was developed as the ultimate lipstick to pair with animal print. Poppy wanted to refresh the classic red lip/leopard print combination with something a bit more modern and relaxed. Enter this juicy papaya shade of coral lipstick. Jungle Queen is a semi-sheer, moisturizing formula packed with Vitamin E and natural oils. You can feel the moisture the second it hits your lips. But don't let the semi-sheer fool you. While it is build-able, it packs some serious coral pigment. I am wearing it today and have already received so many compliments. Obviously had to pair it with some leopard.